Love and Life eBook

Happily much of what passed was perfectly unintelligible
to Betty’s carefully shielded pupil, who sat
all the time with the cat on her lap, listening to
its purring music, but feeling much more inclined to
believe nothing against my Lady, after her father’s
example, than to agree with those who were so evidently
prejudiced. Tea was brought in delicate porcelain
cups, then followed cards, which made the time pass
less drearily till supper. This consisted of
dishes still tinier than those at dinner, and it was
scarcely ended when it was announced that Jumbo had
come for Miss Delavie.

Gladly she departed, after an exchange of curtsies,
happily not hearing the words behind her:—­

“Pretty! Yes, she comes of my Lady’s
own stock, and will be just such another.”

“Yes; it is quite plain that it is true that
my Lady sent her here because she had been spreading
the white apron for the young baronet.”

“And now she is trying her arts on poor cousin
Amyas Belamour. You heard how she would take
no advice, and replied with impertinence.”

“Shall you give my Lady a hint?”

“Not I. I have been treated with too much insolence
by Lady Belamour to interfere with her again,”
said Mrs. Phoebe, drawing herself up; “I shall
let things take their course unless I can remonstrate
with my own kinsman.”

CHAPTER XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS.

Then is Love’s hour
to stray!
Oh, how he flies away!—­T.
MOORE.

Meanwhile Aurelia, mounted on a pair of pattens brought
by the negro to keep her above the dew, was crossing
the park by the light of a fine hunter’s moon,
Jumbo marching at a respectful distance in the rear.
He kept on chuckling to himself with glee, and when
she looked round at him, he informed her with great
exultation that “Mas’r had not been alone.
His honour had been to see him. Mas’r
so glad.”

“Sir Amyas!” exclaimed Aurelia: “Is
he there still?”

“No, missie. He went away before supper.”

“Did he see the young ladies?”

“Oh, yes, missie. He came before mas’r
up, quite promiskius,” said Jumbo, who loved
a long word. “I tell him, wait till mas’r
be dress, and took him to summer parlour. He
see little missies out in garden; ask what chil’ren
it was. His Hounour’s sisters, Miss Fay,
Missie Letty, Missie Amy, I say! His Honour
wonder. ‘My sisters,’ he say, ‘my
sisters here,’ and out he goes like a flash of
lightning and was in among them.”

Aurelia’s first thought was “Oh, I hope
they were clean and neat, and that they behaved themselves.
I wish I had been at home.” Wherewith
followed the recollection that Sir Amyas had been called
her beau, and her cheeks burnt; but the recent disagreeable
lecture on etiquette showed her that it would only
have led to embarrassment and vexation to have had
any question of an interview with a young gentleman
by so little her elder. Nor would she have known
what to say to him. Old Mr. Belamour in the
dark was a very different matter, and she had probably
had an escape from much awkwardness.